Removable pneumatic discharge housing for hoppers

ABSTRACT

A hopper includes a lower discharge opening with sloping walls which are provided at their lower edges with fixed threaded studs projecting outwardly. A pneumatic discharge housing includes walls having connected thereto a pneumatic discharge tube. The housing walls are provided with open end slots adjacent their upper edges which in a connected position have the studs projecting therethrough and the studs are engaged in securing relation by means of threaded fasteners whereby the housing may be readily replaced or released from its connected relation relative to the hopper.

PATENEU JUN 8 em 3,' 583; 769

sum af 2 INVENTOR W/LLIAM D. M NDINGER United States Patent lnventor William D. Mundinger Highland, lnd.

Appl. No. 862,704

Filed Oct. l, 1969 Patented .lune 8, 1971 Assignee Pullman lncorporated Chicago, lll.

REMOVABLE PNEUMATIC DISCHARGE HOUSING FOR HOPPERS 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 302/52, 214/83.26, 222/460, 302/53 lnt. Cl B65g 33/40 Field oi Search 30215 l 52,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,439,956 4/ 1969 lngram et al 302/52 3,527,503 9/1970 Mundinger 302/52 Primary Examner-Andres l-l. Nielsen Atomeys-Hilmond O. Vogel and Wayne Morris Russell ABSTRACT: A hopper includes a lower discharge opening with sloping walls which are provided at their lower edges with fixed threaded studs projecting outwardly. A pneumatic discharge housing includes walls having connected thereto a pneumatic discharge tube. The housing walls are provided with open end slots adjacent their upper edges which in a connected position have the studs projecting therethrough and the studs are engaged in securing relation by means of threaded fasteners whereby the housing may be readily replaced or released from its connected relation relative to the hopper.

REMOVABLE PNEUMATIC DISCHARGE HOUSING FOR HOPPERS SUMMARY The prime object of the invention is to provide an improved pneumatic discharge arrangement for a hopper which may be easily assembled and replaced without requiring access to the interior of the hopperA Pneumatic discharge arrangemcnts of the prior art have required such interior access by the mechanic and such access would generally result in damage to the inner surfaces of the walls of the hopper and the discharge housing. The improved arrangement is achieved by fixcdly securing threaded studs to the exterior of the walls of the hopper. The pneumatic discharge housing is provided with walls having open end slots adjacent upper edges thereof so that the housing can be placed over the discharge opening and the walls of the hopper and housing are in overlapping relationA The studs are disposed in the slots and are engaged by threaded fasteners which secure the components in assembly. The arrangement of the fasteners thus permits the housing to be readily assembled with, and disengaged from, the hopper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a pneumatic discharge housing ready to be assembled with a hopper structure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, of an assembled hopper structure and pneumatic discharge housing;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the connecting elements for assembling a pneumatic discharge housing to a hopper structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A hopper structure comprises sloping walls 11 and 12 which are interconnected in rectangular fashion to provide at their lower ends a discharge opening generally designated at 13, shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, The hopper structure 10 is of a type particularly adapted for utilization with a railway hopper car, on which a plurality of such structures are carried in transit. The hoppers each include a discharge housing for discharging through a pneumatic system grains and other comminuted materials at their ultimate destination. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a plurality of threaded studs 14 project outwardly from the sloping walls 11 and 12 of the hopper structure 10.

A pneumatic discharge housing is generally designated at 15 and includes sloping walls 16 and 17 which are interconnected and terminate in a bottom wall 19. Each of the walls 16 also includes a vertical portion 18 through which projects an outer tube which includes a pneumatic discharge outlet 19'. The outer tubes 20 are extensions of a tube (not shown) which extends through the discharge housing 15 as described in greater detail in applicant's patent application Ser. No. 750,224 filed Aug. 5, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,503, Sept. 8, 1970. Each outer tube 20 is provided with a removable cap 21 held tightly against a flange 22 on the tube 20. A bail-shaped locking member 23 is pivotally connected as indicated at 24 on each outer tube 20 and by means of a cam locking element 25 engages each cap 21 in locking relation in the position shown. The manner of operation of the tube 20 in connection with the pneumatic unloading mechanism is more fully described in the aforementioned patent application.

As best shown in FIG. 1, walls 16 and 17 are provided with a plurality of vertically extending open end slots 26 which open outwardly at the upper terminal edges of said walls. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the studs 14 include heads 27 which are securely welded as indicated at 28 against the inner surfaces of the walls 11 and 12, with said studs 14, as shown in FIG. 1, projecting outwardly normally from said walls through openings 29 therein, as shown in FIG. 4. As indicated also,

each of the walls 16 and 17 is provided with a clamping strip 30 including holes 31 through which the studs 14 project.

Locknuts 32 suitably clamp the clamping strips 30 in the assembled position shown in FIGS. 2,3 and 4.

THE OPERATION Operation of the discharge outlet in removing granular materials from the hopper structure 10 and discharge housing 15 is fully described in the aforementioned patent application. The bail 23 is pivoted out oflocking engagcment with the caps 21 by the outward pivoting movcment of the cam elements 25 whereby the caps 21 can be removed. One of the tubes 20 is then connected to a suitable source of vacuum which removes the material and directs it to its point of destination.

The advantages of the present invention lie in the case of assembly of the discharge housing to the hopper structure. This is achieved by merely raising the discharge housing into position whereupon the studs 14 lie and extend through the open end slots 26. The clamping strips 30 are then positioned over the studs 14 and it is a simple matter to then assemble the locknuts onto the studs 14 whereupon the discharge housing 15 is securely fixed in place. A suitable sealing compound is then applied to the overlapping edges of the walls 11, 12, 16, and 17, as best indicated by the reference character 33 in FIG. 4.

The clamping strips 30 effectively provide for clamping of the edges of the walls 16 and 17 in relative overlapping relation and with the sealing compound 33 applied, an effective airtight and watertight seal is provided. By this construction simple assembly is achieved and the interior surfaces of the walls are not damaged as is the case in conventional assemblies. Since in the present assembly it is unnecessary for the mechanic to have access to the interior, scratches and creases left by tools, etc. are eliminated. Also the inner surfaces of the walls 16 and 17, as is customary, may be suitably coated to provide a smooth and effective surface for the discharge of materials so that no residue remains after the discharging operation. Such surfaces are easily damaged in Installation in the conventional type of construction. In the present construction such damage to the surfaces is completely eliminated. Also it is a simple matter to unscrew the locknuts 32 and to again remove the pneumatic discharge housing if it is desired to be replaced, cleaned or repaired.

Thus it is believed that the object of the invention has been fully achieved and fully described in the aforementioned description.

What I claim is:

1. A hopper structure having a plurality of interconnected first'walls sloping toward a discharge opening provided at a lower portion of said hopper;

a removable pneumatic outlet assembly comprising a housing having a plurality of interconnected second walls and a lower wall adapted to receive material from said discharge opening,

a pneumatic discharge outlet Supported on said housing and communicating therewith for discharging materials therefrom during the application of pneumatic unloading means,

said first walls having a plurality of projecting fastener members connected adjacent lower edge portions thereof;

said second walls having adjacent upper edge portions thereof a plurality of vertically extending open end slots,

said lower and upper edge portions of said walls overlapping each other in an interconnected relation, whereby said fastener members are disposed in said slots, and

means releasably engaging said fastener members to secure said walls in said connected relation, said housing during disengagement of said releasable means, and said fastener members being disengageable downwardly relative to said hopper.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said discharge outlet including tubular elements projeeting outwardly from opposite walls of said housing,

each element having one open end communicating with the interior of the housing, and

an opposite end having a closure cap removably connected thereto. 

1. A hopper structure having a plurality of interconnected first walls sloping toward a discharge opening provided at a lower portion of said hopper; a removable pneumatic outlet assembly comprising a housing having a plurality of interconnected second walls and a lower wall adapted to receive material from said discharge opening, a pneumatic discharge outlet supported on said housing and communicating therewith for discharging materials therefrom during the application of pneumatic unloAding means, said first walls having a plurality of projecting fastener members connected adjacent lower edge portions thereof; said second walls having adjacent upper edge portions thereof a plurality of vertically extending open end slots, said lower and upper edge portions of said walls overlapping each other in an interconnected relation, whereby said fastener members are disposed in said slots, and means releasably engaging said fastener members to secure said walls in said connected relation, said housing during disengagement of said releasable means, and said fastener members being disengageable downwardly relative to said hopper.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said fastener members comprising fixed threaded studs projecting outwardly from said first walls and said releasable means comprising nuts.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, including a strap overlying said slots, said strap having openings engaged by said studs and being attached to said edge portion by said nuts.
 4. The invention in accordance with claim 3, said discharge outlet including tubular elements projecting outwardly from opposite walls of said housing, each element having one open end communicating with the interior of the housing, and an opposite end having a closure cap removably connected thereto. 